Hung out to dry

That phrase describes our troops AND the people they've "liberated".

Counterspin brought this article to my attention, detailing how the Bush administration is now trying to withhold a pay-raise that was approved by Congress a while back, for those soldiers serving in hostile areas and separated from their families.

Now, after having been lied to, used as pawns in a global game of "New Colonialism", chastised and disciplined for speaking out to the press, and having their wives be called traitors for voicing dissatisfaction also, the soldiers--some of whom have been stationed in Afghanistan for more than a year, while others have been in Baghdad for several months where an average of one soldier dies each day--are being denied their combat pay.

Each time I think I can't be shocked again by Bush's audacity...and the Hawks were always telling the anti-war people WE were going against the troops!

As for Afghanistan...well, that place is in worse shape than it was under the Taliban (with the exception of Kabul, which is marginally better). If Iraqis think they're suffering now, they should look at Afghanistan and see what a country looks like more than a year after having "freedom installed" there by the US army.
Not only is the country in shambles, with international aid organizations pulling out due to the danger from resurging Taliban attacks as well as general bandits and lawlessness, but the US has basically abandoned ship, leaving UN peacekeepers to clean up the mess.
(there was a great story on CNN World Edition today, but I can't find anything on their website...here's a couple of related stories. A quick search will turn up others showing how German and Dutch troops have been left to clean up the US mess.)

Iraq is following the same path, with violence escalating in the country and the US now asking NATO to help out. A clear pattern is visible to Bush's invasion policy: The US will bomb the crap out of whoever it likes, US companies will get sole access to any resources and "spoils" of war after the enemy regime falls, then other nations can clean up the mess.

It's a "We're keeping all the oil, but you can have some of the casualties" kind of deal. It would be nice to see European countries stand up to the US and say "you filled your bed with landmines, YOU sleep in it", or tell them where to shove it. (Un)fortunately, though, European nations have a social conscience.